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Author Topic: R A Cooke Track Layout Diagrams  (Read 1016 times)
grahame
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« on: December 08, 2025, 16:02:54 »

"Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR (Great Western Railway) and BR (British Rail(ways)) (WR) – Section 65 Chester -Wrexham by R.A. Cooke" - said to cover most of the GWR and BR (W) area - there seem to be about 60 publish with perhaps a further 9 to come.

Has anyone got either a list of all the sections - and/or a source of them and/or a copy of the one that includes Melksham?  Anyone up on how they are copyrightwise?

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« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2025, 17:17:49 »

"Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR (Great Western Railway) and BR (British Rail(ways)) (WR) – Section 65 Chester -Wrexham by R.A. Cooke"

Don't have the above - but this is available on the Signalling Record Society website.  What do you need it for?
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« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2025, 18:19:02 »

"Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR (Great Western Railway) and BR (British Rail(ways)) (WR) – Section 65 Chester -Wrexham by R.A. Cooke"

Don't have the above - but this is available on the Signalling Record Society website.  What do you need it for?
Ah - thanks!

Lisa is putting together a history exhibit for display in the museum cabinets at some point in the new year - looking at availability, sources, copyrights, etc ...
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« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2025, 19:30:19 »

Maybe contact the S-R-S and see if they are happy to supply you free of charge a high definition file. It is a not-for-profit civic project that Lisa has in mind and, it gives them good publicity.
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bradshaw
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« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2025, 19:54:03 »

Section 21 of Cooke’s survey covers Wiltshire. Melksham p23 and 24

I have attached copies of Melksham.

Let me know if you need anything else

Lightmoor Press are bringing them all out, so must have the copyright if you need to ask permission. My copy is one of the early ring bound volumes.

https://lightmoor.co.uk/category.php?section=Track%20Plans


Rail 274/173 is an 1877 survey of the line from Thingley Jct to Sparkford. 174 covers Sparkfort to Weymouth
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2359954
« Last Edit: December 08, 2025, 22:21:39 by bradshaw » Logged

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grahame
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« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2025, 08:24:33 »

Maybe contact the S-R-S and see if they are happy to supply you free of charge a high definition file. It is a not-for-profit civic project that Lisa has in mind and, it gives them good publicity.

Section 21 of Cooke’s survey covers Wiltshire. Melksham p23 and 24

I have attached copies of Melksham.

Let me know if you need anything else ... [snip]

Thank you ... and thank you ... passing those on to Lisa and will come back in due course with a follow up / outcome.  Please do not expect that follow up with the lightning speed of your answers on the forum - it's quiet a project she's putting together!
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« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2025, 09:10:18 »

The Wilts Record Office at Chippenham has the plans and book of reference for the WSWR dated 1844/5. The map is in the form of a strip numbering every property through which it passes and 100yds on either side.
The book of reference lists each if these properties and give the owner, occupier and lessee for each. These are very under utilised resources. They can also be tied in to the Tithe Maps of similar dates. Copies were sent to every county through which the line was planned to pass.
The reference for this record office is
A1/371/68MS
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« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2025, 13:10:18 »

I have found a tracing I did from the GWR (Great Western Railway) route surveys. It is dated 1877. It shows the goods shed and platforms but no signal box. This was 3years after the gauge was narrowed. Somewhere there is a photo of Melksham supposedly from the 1874 gauge change.

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grahame
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« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2025, 13:46:24 »

I have found a tracing I did from the GWR (Great Western Railway) route surveys. It is dated 1877. It shows the goods shed and platforms but no signal box. This was 3years after the gauge was narrowed. Somewhere there is a photo of Melksham supposedly from the 1874 gauge change.



Fascinating - and this is the 1874 picture:



Supplied by the Melksham Historical Association for appropriate use to promote the (re)use of the station.
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